Hiatal hernia and reflux disease are prevalent in the USA and other countries. It is estimated that 40% of the adult population suffer heartburn, and that 10 to 20% of these have complications and are candidates for surgical correction of their reflux. In addition to that, a large number of infants are born with reflux disease that can stunt their growth. Respiratory complications in adults and children can result in asthmatic bronchitis and recurrent infections of the lungs. Fifty percent of asthmatics also have reflux disease, and their symptoms and suffering has been shown to markedly decrease after surgery to correct the reflux.
Surgical methods to adequately control reflux have existed since the 1950's and have involved thoracic or abdominal incisions. One example is taught in the paper, "Traitement du Reflux Par la Technique Dite de Heller-Nissen Modifee," Dor et al, Presse Medicale, 75(50): 2563-5, Nov. 25, 1967. The Dor technique for fundoplication involves gripping the anterior portion of the fundus and attaching it to the lower part of the esophagus. This technique and its variants are quite effective in controlling reflux. But they all involve invasive surgery (i.e surgery involving incisions) and its consequences.
Since the early 1990's laparoscopic adaptations of these procedures have reduced the morbidity of the procedures by using 4 to 6 small incisions through which trocars are inserted into the abdomen and by operating under videoscopic visualization. This involves a general anesthetic and a short hospital admission.
Very recently, a few people have devised non-invasive techniques for controlling reflux. U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,594 to LoCicero shows one technique that attaches the esophagus and a portion of the stomach that is immediately adjacent the esophagus. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,676,674 and 5,571,116 to Bolanos et al. shows another technique for attaching the esophagus and a portion of the stomach that is immediately adjacent the esophagus. Both are different from the present invention because they do not perform a fundoplication. They attempt to accentuate the gastro-esophageal junction by stapling or inserting a stud.